Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Energy Markets
Oil prices wsj.com rose in Asian trade amid Middle East tensions, with Commerzbank Research highlighting risks of supply disruptions. Asian liquefied natural gas surged to three-year peaks bloomberg.com as the Qatar export plant shutdown and shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz continued. Saudi oil storage sites are filling rapidly bloomberg.com as the key export route remains closed, according to Kayrros.
Asian Volatility
South Korean stock trading was halted investing.com after the KOSPI slid over 8%. Indonesia's central bank intervened to support bloomberg.com the rupiah as emerging markets came under pressure from the Iran conflict. Taiwan's dollar dropped to its weakest bloomberg.com level since May amid heavy foreign outflows spurred by Middle East tensions.
Tech & Stocks
Alibaba's Qwen AI finance.yahoo.com division saw its head resign amid ongoing sector restructuring. One of Australia's largest pension funds, Colonial First State bloomberg.com, is rethinking its allocation to listed US technology companies. Nidec shares bloomberg.com rose as investors bet on a rebound after a financial scandal investigation found systemic accounting issues but not manufacturing problems.
Precious Metals
Gold gained investing.com following a 5% drop as worries about the Iran conflict supported haven demand among investors.
Geopolitical Impact
Goldman's Solomon bloomberg.com expressed surprise at the "benign" market reaction to the Middle East conflict. President Trump announced ft.com that the US Navy is prepared to escort oil tankers in the Gulf, promising to provide insurance for vessels transiting the region. US shale bosses ft.com warned they cannot replace war-hit Middle East oil as new production from Texas will take months.